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1. Benefits of Utilizing Counseling Services among Doctoral Women of Color in STEM

   Grasty, K.; Sakri, S; Arnold, A.C.; Bekki, J.M.; Wilkins-Yel, K.G.; Natarajan, M.; Bernstein, B.L.; Randall, A.K (January 2021, roceedings of the 2021 American Society for Engineering Education Conference (Virtual))

   null (Ed.)

   Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs are uniquely challenging for Women of Color due to the prevalence of gendered and racialized encounters. The cumulative toll of these marginalizing experiences can negatively impact graduate Women of Color’s mental health and STEM persistence. The current study examines the benefits that graduate women derived from utilizing counseling services to mitigate the psychological toll of these negative encounters. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight racially diverse women who either completed or discontinued their STEM doctoral programs prior to completion. Participants' narratives revealed two themes: precipitating events to seek counseling and benefits of utilizing counseling, which includes three sub-themes: feeling heard, increased self-awareness, skill-building. The findings of this study highlight how counseling services are overwhelmingly positive for graduate Women of Color experiencing challenges in STEM, regardless of whether or not the decision to utilize services results in degree completion. Implications for the findings are discussed. 

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2. Benefits of Utilizing Counseling Services among Doctoral Women of Color in STEM

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--36741  

   Grasty, K.; Sakri, S.; Arnold, A.C.; Bekki, J.M.; Wilkins-Yel, K.G.; Natarajan, M.; Bernstein, B.L.; & Randall, A.K. (January 2021, American Society for Engineering Education)

   Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs are uniquely challenging for Women of Color due to the prevalence of gendered and racialized encounters. The cumulative toll of these marginalizing experiences can negatively impact graduate Women of Color’s mental health and STEM persistence. The current study examines the benefits that graduate women derived from utilizing counseling services to mitigate the psychological toll of these negative encounters. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight racially diverse women who either completed or discontinued their STEM doctoral programs prior to completion. Participants' narratives revealed two themes: precipitating events to seek counseling and benefits of utilizing counseling, which includes three sub-themes: feeling heard, increased self-awareness, skill-building. The findings of this study highlight how counseling services are overwhelmingly positive for graduate Women of Color experiencing challenges in STEM, regardless of whether or not the decision to utilize services results in degree completion. Implications for the findings are discussed. 

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3. Re-framing and Reimagining the Doctoral Student Narrative: Black Women’s Experiences in Engineering and Computer Science

   Artis, S.; Shavers, M.; LeSure, S; Spencer, B.; Joshi, A. (June 2018, American Society of Engineering Education)

   Recent data reveal that a higher percentage of Black women (9.7%) are enrolled in college than any other group, topping Asian women (8.7%), White women (7.1%) and White men (6.1%). Despite these gains in college attendance, Black women are often underrepresented in the fields of engineering and computer science. This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study that investigated the identity and experiences of Black women who are pursuing doctoral degrees in engineering and computer science. This research is grounded on the tenet that one cannot effectively serve or impact a community until he/she genuinely understands the issues and challenges facing the people who are its members. This work explores how Black female doctoral students persist in environments where they are grossly underrepresented. Content analysis is used to examine interview data obtained from 13 Black women who are pursing doctoral degrees in engineering and computer science. This paper concludes with some of the key challenges these women face in their programs on a daily basis. The goal of this research is to bring awareness to not only the challenges, but also potential strategies to increase the retention and persistence of Black women in engineering and computer science across all academic levels. 

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4. Lessons from Diverse Women in STEM: Acknowledging Institutional Challenges and Empowering Agency Towards STEM persistence

   Schuyler, S.; Briseño, J.; Natarajan, M.; Sista, A.; Wilkins-Yel, K.G.; Arnold, A.; Bernstein, B.; Randall, A.K (January 2021, Proceedings of the 2021 Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD) Conference)

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   Women pursuing graduate studies in STEM fields often face challenges, such as implicit and explicit messages (e.g., microaggressions, stereotyping) that communicate their lack of belonging in STEM, the delegitimization of their skills and expertise, and instances where both their voice and physical presence are ignored. These gendered, and in the case of Women of Color (WoC), racialized experiences, result in additional stress that negatively influences women’s efforts to persist and succeed in STEM fields. This study, which is part of a larger NSF-funded project within the CareerWISE (CW) research program, highlighted the voices of white women and WoC in STEM doctoral programs with the goal of identifying factors that promote their STEM persistence. A total of 33 women in STEM doctoral programs across the United States were interviewed. Participants were asked to provide recommendations for fellow women in STEM who are considering leaving their programs to facilitate their persistence amidst challenges they might face. The findings were summarized into four broad themes: 1) seek interpersonal support, 2) prioritize mental health and wellbeing, 3) affirm and encourage one’s belongingness in STEM, and 4) explore different academic options if needed. Findings led to important implications for current and future graduate students, departments, and institutions (i.e., building community, fostering a welcoming environment, reducing barriers to persistence). 

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5. EXPECTATIONS VS. REALITY: REIMAGINING THE ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING DOCTORAL EXPERIENCE FOR BLACK WOMEN

   https://doi.org/10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2021035465  

   Spencer, Breauna Marie; Artis, Sharnnia; Shavers, Marjorie; LeSure, Stacie (January 2022, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering)

   The purpose of this qualitative research study is to examine the doctoral experiences of successful Black women enrolled in U.S. engineering and computing programs. Specifically, this manuscript analyzes Black women’s perceived expectations regarding what they believed their doctoral programs would be like prior to their enrollment in graduate school versus their actual experiences as doctoral students (n = 37). Find- ings conclude that Black women expected their coursework would either be academically rigorous or not very difficult at all, and that their faculty advisors would provide them with tailored academic and social support. In addition, some of the Black women also expected that they would not have to deal with racism and sexism under the assumption that their respective departments were inclusive and equitable. Black women’s actual experiences consisted of unsupportive faculty, surprising levels of racism and sexism, and an obligation to code-switch. This article also discusses the implications of the findings, and strategies for helping Black women succeed in engineering and computing doctoral programs are also discussed. 

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